


The Little Bird & The Red Viper

by Superooosssshhhhh



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/M, I Tried
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 06:40:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6791560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superooosssshhhhh/pseuds/Superooosssshhhhh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sansa and Oberyn are betrothed to seal a pact of trust between the Houses Lannister and Martell.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The King in the North had fallen at the Red Wedding. Betrayed by his own men as he feasted with those who would turn their blades from their meat and to their king. Sansa had been a captive of the crown for nearly three years and she had been faced with the prospect of three different husbands Joffery, Tyrion and Tywin.

None of which had happened of yet for which she was thankful for. But now there was news from the south that Oberyn Martell was seeking a bride to give him trueborn children. Eager to strengthen the bond between House Martell and House Lannister, Tyrion offered Sansas hand to The Red Viper of Dorne.

Now he is coming to claim his bride and take her away from the stink hole that was Kingslanding and everyone within it. Sansa does not know what to think, who to trust or who not to.

\-----------------------------------------

Sansa stands at the window of her chambers trembling with both fear and anticipation. Oberyn Martell was going to arrive to wed her soon, she was terribly frightened of how he will be with her. Joffery had filled her head full of tales of how he would lay with men, women and beasts. I can never let my guard down. She thinks to herself.

She feels her eyes tearing up. No. I will not weep anymore. It had never helped her before when Joffery had her beaten, why would it help her now? She takes a deep calming breath when she hears a knock upon the door. "Come in." She says with politeness in her voice. A handmaiden walks in "You need to dress, my lady." Sansa nods and walks over to her.

First she bathes in scented oils and dresses in a light purple dress with silver thread. It brings out my eyes. She thinks as she dresses. She feels a sickness deep in her stomach, all she can think of are Jofferys words. "He'll fuck you like the traitorous bitch you are."' She knows he is very dangerous amd angry at the Lannisters for the murder of his sister and her children.

Maybe I can use that to get him to kill Joff. She thinks but she knows she won't. She is not a killer she never will be but she can hope he will. He may even come to love me. She hopes he will but she kows he has a paramour and numerous bastards by multiple women. I will love his children even if they do not love me. She stands as the handmaid begins to style her hair. "Could you please plait it?" "Of course, my lady." The plait was more southern style than northern as she had hoped but she liked it.

She stands and exhamines herself in a mirror. Her copper hair shines in the light, her cream skin almost glowing but it was her Tully blue eyes that were the brightest of all. Do I look like my mother did at my age? She thinks to herself silently as she asks the handmaid to get her some black bread to break her fast.

She eats very little as she begins to think of her betrothed. She wonders what he looks like. She had never seen a dornish man before and now she is going to wed one. She would have laughed if the handmaid had not been in the room with her, watching her and reporting it to the Queen. It seemed that she was worried Sansa might evaporate in to thin air just as her sister Arya had.

Her thoughts are disturbed by Joffery barging in to her chambers. "Your Grace, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She says politely. "The Martell pricks boat has been spotted. It seems he'll be here soon enough." She looks in to those emerald eyes and sees only darkness within. "Apparently he'll want to fuck you tonight before you wed him, after he's finished I'll have you and all of my guards after me, then maybe I'll give you to the dogs. They'll make good use of you I'm sure." She shudders at the thought.

Joff grabs her wrist hard enough to leave a bruise or two. "You will always belong to me, do you understand?" She nods silently. Tears come to her eyes but she refuses to let them fall. "I'll send a guard to escort you down to the stables when we are ready." He leaves as suddenly as he entered. Sansa feels the black bread about to come back up. She wants to please Oberyn so he won't be like Joff is to her. How can she do that when she was crying like a child? I am no child, I am Sansa Stark of Winterfell the blood of the First Men runs in my veins, I can be strong! She almost shouts to herself but instead she picks up her stitches and calms herself down by sewing a orange sun with a grey spear through it.

She hopes to give it to him as a gift to please him but he probably wouldn't care in the slightest but she wants to try. She sits on the windowsill and sows for over an hour, her fingers are painfully cramped but it is almost finished. A knock brings her back to reality as she calls for them to enter. Tyrion Lannister waddles in with a guard at his side. "My lady, I must say you look beautiful today." "Thank you very much, my lord."

"May I escort you to the stables so we may greet your betrothed?" She nods and straightens her dress out. She walks out of the room and in to the hallway. They walk alongside each other. "Are you well, Lady Sansa? I heard my charming nephew paid you a visit earlier." "I am well, His Grace only wanted to tell me that Prince Oberyn was arriving soon." "I'm sure he was polite." She smiles slightly. "His Grace is always kind to me." She says.

He gives her a look of humour, she does not miss it but she ignores it. They walk to the stables silently from then on. The sun is shining down on them all. Sansa looks at Cersei and Tommon getting in to a litter as Joffery climbs on his mount. "Sansa, you will ride with me." He states. Tyrion saves her that fate by telling Joff that she will go to Blackwater Bay in his litter. She wants to thank him but she keeps her mouth closed whilst Joffery just sulks as he always does when denied what he wants.

She climbs in to Tyrions crimson litter and he after. "I take it the Tyrells will not be accompanying us to greet Oberyn Martell." She says to fill the silence between the two. "No they will stay here and make preparations for the welcoming feast." She nods. Tyrion looks at her for a moment. "Will I go to Dorne?" She asks. "It will be recommended but it will really be Oberyns decision." She ponders on that. She could beg but she knows she won't do it.

"I can only give you my condolences for your loses." He says very quietly to her. "Your mother loved you very much and your brother was shaping in to a very fine young man, neither deserved their fate." He continues. She feels her eyes well up again. "The gods will curse all those involved." She says with a voice full of hope. He laughs humourlessly "I was born cursed girl. A jape of the gods. Yet here I sit alive and well." She looks down at her hands in her lap and says nothing else to him.

The litter stops and she smells a mixture of human waste, baked goods, sweat and salt. They exit the litter to wait at the bay and watch the dornish ship pull up to the docks. In the bay they see the evidence of Stannis' failed attack, ship parts litter the water. She sees three guards all in gold, orange and reds exit the ship. Sansa feels sick again but she turns her face to stone and focuses on getting out of Kings Landing. They begin to walk up the docks and towards them. One of the guards is taller and older than the two by his side. That is when she realises that this is Oberyn Martell. Joff walks up and greets him, Cersei introduces him to Tommon and then Oberyn walks to Tyrion. "Prince Oberyn, welcome to Kings Landing. May I introduce Lady Sansa of House Stark."

Oberyn looks at her, she looks at his face closely. His face is covered with lines just as her fathers had been, although his skin is an olive colour, his black hair has grey in it and his eyes are black. She thinks of her father. He looks like Father did before Joff had him beheaded. "It is a pleasure to meet you Sansa, may I say you are a beautiful woman." She blushes and gives him her thanks. "May we escort you back to the Red Keep?" Tyrion asks as Oberyn looks at her. "Aye but if it please you I would like share a litter with Lady Sansa." "Of course you can." Tyrion says. Sansa climbs back in to the litter and waits for Oberyn to follow her.

Oberyn gets in after her. She looks back down at her hands as he sits infront of her. There is a silence between the two that almost burns the air. He breaks it by asking "The Lannisters have treated you well I hope." She looks back up at his face. "I have been treated well dispite my traitor blood." She says in a trained way. He gives her a curious look so she looks back at her hands. "Are your hands more interesting than me?" He asks and she feels shame creeping over her face as she looks back up at him.

"Please forgive me, Prince Oberyn." She says quietly. His eyes remain on hers as they hear the guards moving through the crowds as the litter lifts up and begins to move. "I have nothing to forgive Princess." Her eyes burn in to his as she replays the word princess. "I am not a princess, after we marry I will be but I am not today." She says. "Your brother was The King in the North and the Trident, that makes you a princess." She looks at her hands. "Please don't call me that." She whispers barely audibly. "I can call you what I like you are to be my wife." She says as shame burns in her stomach.

She remains silent the rest of the way to the Red Keep. Oberyn exits and helps her out of the litter. "Pray forgive me, Lady Sansa but I will need to clean up and rest for a while." She nods as he takes her arm. "I will escort you to your chambers first." He says as she blushes. Does he mean to take me? She asks herself as she leads him in to the Keep and towards her chambers."My Prince I have a welcoming gift for you" They walk inside and she walks to the embroidered for him. "If it please you I have made you this." He looks at it for a moment. "Thank you, Princess." She almost corrects him but thinks the better of it.

"It is very nice of you." He says and her heart drops. He doesn't like it. "I am sorry I have disappointed you, Prince Oberyn." She looks down at her hands again."Do not be sorry. I am just need to rest a while." He says trying to reassure her but she knows that she is not what he wanted. Dornish women were supposed to be strong, she did not feel strong at all. "I shall see you later at the feast, Princess." She nods and sits on her bed as he leaves with the embroidered sun and spear. I have displeased him, he may call off the wedding.

But that was a bittersweet thought as she would be married to a Lannister, probably Tyrion. She wanted to marry a man from her dreams who was tall, fair and handsome. But she would never do that now. She is set to marry a man who will not love her. All she wanted was to be back in Winterfell with her family but they were all dead now. I am alone in this world, I can trust no one. She thinks as she looks at herself in a mirror.


	2. Chapter 2

Sansa walks through the hall to the drias where Tyrion, Oberyn, Joffery, Cersei, Tommon and Tywin are sat. She feels eyes burning in to her back as she curtisies and takes her seat beetween her betrothed and Tyrion who is sat at the end of the table. He is wearing his house colours with a embroidered sun on his breast over his heart.

Oberyn wears a look of distain on his face Sansa knows it is because of Tywin being here. He is as trapped as I am. She realises. She looks at him for a moment, his jaw is cleched and he is extremely tense. As a sign of comfort she places her hand over his and goves it a light squeeze. He looks to their hands then to her. She smiles a reassuring smile at him.

Sansa sees something in his eyes is it love or lust? Either will do to get her away from here and to Dorne. She will give him children and he will give her kindness and safety. The bard begins to start up playing The Reynes of Castamere. A song the Lannisters love to have played at court. They think it makes them look powerful and strong but it makes them petty. Sansa thinks as she lets go of Oberyns hand.

The servants bring in roasted boar, duck, venison and various vegetables. Sansas mouth waters at the sight of the food. Then the sweet food is brought out, it had been so long since she had had lemoncakes it makes her stomach rumble. She chooses to have a small amount of duck, buttered potatoes and carrots. She eats it in silence as the bard plays The Bear and the Maiden Fair. The music stops and Sansa hears Joff get up. She immediately stops eating and looks over to him.

"The usurpers have been crushed. Robb of House Stark has been killed by our loyal friend from the Twins." His vicious green eyes connect with hers. She feels sick as he smirks. "It is cause to celebrate. But first I have a gift for my old betrothed Sansa of House Stark." He nods to a guard and the door opens to reveal two servants pulling a cart with four wolf carcasses within it, two full grown and two pups. Two other servants hold spikes with wolf heads impaled upon them.

All of the wolves had been lined up to show off their wounds. The two bigger had arrows in them while the two pups had their heads removed and were being carried on a spike. Sansa feels her food about to come back up but she forces it down. Thats when she sees the Stark banner has been placed in the cart. She steels herself as all eyes go to her. She wants to weep but she will not allow them to see her tears again. "I thank you, Your Grace. They will make some lovely cloaks." She manages to say in a voice devoid of all emotion.

"You will not have them made in to any cloak, they will remain as they are so you remember what happens to traitors." His voice is full of spite. Sansa looks down at her half empty plate as Tyrion shouts to the servants. "Get those out of here right now!" His voice is so loud it echos as King Roberts did. "No they will stay here." Joff commands to the servants his face as red as the Lannister banner behind him. "Take them away." Lord Tywins authoritative voice orders. The servants do as they are told, they quickly hurry out with the cart tow.

Sansa can not help but remember the last time Tyrion had spoken up to Joffery on her behalf. He stopped the guards from beating me now he has stopped Joff from hurting me more. She thinks as she glances at the dwarf, he may be misshapen, twisted and ugly but he is the best of the Lannisters. Sansa pushes away her food and sips a cup of Dornish Red. The sweetness of the wine explodes in her mouth and leaves an strange aftertaste on her tongue.

The music resumes and chatter soon begins again. She catches Mace Tyrell looks up at her and Oberyn. They were to be my new family, they feel robbed of a prize. Sansa blushes and sips her wine. She sees Margeary sat beside her father, she does not look up at Sansa. Her attentions are on the King, she is ever the blushing maiden. It will not last long with Joff as her husband. Memories of her time as his betrothed come back to her.

Oberyn smiles at her but he empties his cup of wine. Is he dreading our marriage? She worries for what her life may be like as his wife. She turns to him "How is life in Dorne, Prince Oberyn?" His dark mysterious eyes look in to hers. "It is glorious, you will enjoy it there." "Will I meet your daughters?" Sansa says. She sees a humorous glint in his eyes. "If you wish to." "I do." She says without a thought. All Sansa wants is her home and her family, even if it is new.

"I hear The Water Gardens are beautiful." Tyrion says to her. "They were built for a Targaryen bride, to give her comfort from the heat." She vaguely knows the tale of Daenerys Targaryen. Her marriage caused a war that killed so many, she loved her half brother Daemon Blackfyre and he had loved her but she had wed a Martell just as Sansa is going to. "Her name was Daenerys, her brother Daeron The Good brought Dorne in to the Seven Kingdoms." She says remembering when she had first learnt that she dreamed of a love that strong, she thought she had found it when she met Joff but she was so very wrong.

"I had no idea you had learnt so much of our history." Oberyn states. She looks from Tyrion to Oberyn, "Stories of the past are how we learn, my prince." She replies immediately. Sansa feels an intensity in his eyes, it unnerves her but she remains strong. "We never learn from the past." Tyrion says his voice quiet. "It haunts us." Sansa wonders what may haunt the dwarf. "Pray excuse me I am feeling tired and want to retire for the night." She stands and Oberyn does the same.

He offers his hand to her and takes her to her chambers. She plants a kiss upon his cheek and enters her chambers. Sansas handmaiden undoes her beautiful gown and lets it fall to the floor. She pulls on her nightgown and gets in to bed as the handmaiden leaves. Sansa lies down and closes her eyes. She sees that cruel smile of Joff, the arrow filled Robb and her mother, the heads of Bran and little Rickon. Joffs loud laughing echoes in her head as she is forced to look at them.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a week since Oberyn had arrived in Kingslanding. Sansa had heard talk of the wedding, some wondered where it will take place she was one of them. Joff would want to be there she knew. She kneels in the Godswood. She prays for the wedding to be in Dorne far away from the Lannisters. Joff will not allow me to go that easily. Her thoughts are interrupted when she hears footsteps behind her, Sansas stomach drops to her and she spins around to see Oberyn.

She relaxs and stands up to greet him. "Prince Oberyn." He offers his arm to her. "Princess Sansa, you worship the Old Gods?" She puts her arm through his and they begin to walk away from the stump of the Weirwood. "I worship both. When I was a child in Winterfell I prayed with my father in the Godswood and my mother in the Sept." She says with sadness in her voice. Both of her parents were dead and she was not a child but a woman.

"In Dorne we follow the Faith not the Old Gods of the North." He looks at her for a moment. "Tell me how was life in Winterfell." She thinks of her answer, a million words came to mind each better than the last. "It was a better time, it matters not." She says, if Joff hears of this he will not be happy. She thinks. "Things will be better in Dorne. You will not need to worry about the boy king." He spits the words. "When will we be going to Dorne?" "In a few days. I have made the arrangements, you will need to pack your things right away."

Sansa cannot help but smile. "I will do so right away." "Good we can soon be away from this place." She thinks of the tales she has heard of him. "How many daughters do you have?" She asks. "I have eight. Obara, Nymeria, Tyene, Sarella, Elia, Dorea, Obella and Loreza. You are almost of age with my Elia, she is half horse half girl." Sansa feels colour drain from her face. She remembers Harwin telling her father how Arya was half horse and half wolf. Tears come to her eyes, she looks up at the blue sky and does not allow them to fall.

"I have upset you?" Oberyn asks his voice thick with an accent. "My sister Arya. She was often called half a horse and half a wolf. She disappeared when my father died, she is probably dead." He stops, turns to her and takes her hands in his. His eyes have a dark sadness within them Sansa observes. "She may be alive. The world is full of surprises." She whispers "Aye like the Red Wedding." She looks away embarrassed by her own recklessness.

He puts his hand on her chin and turns her face to his. Oberyn pulls her in for a kiss, their lips touch slightly and Sansa blushes. He breaks the kiss, for a moment he looks in to her eyes. "I had something made for you. It's from Dorne." He holds a pendant in his hand, Sansa looks at it and to her surprise it has a growling wolf engraved on it. She smiles, thinking of Lady and how Arya had run off with her and Nymeria. She had loosed them in the woods at the Trident. Cersei had betrayed me when she called for Lady's head. "I love it. You have my thanks."

She forgets herself and wraps her arms around his chest. He is taken aback by it. He soon relaxs in to it and they hug each other for a few moments. Sansa turns around and Oberyn puts the necklace around her neck. She puts her hand on his cheek and smiles a true smile. She cannot think of a way to thank him other than give her life to him. She feels a feeling she hadn't felt since Joff made her remain at court after he cast her aside, she was hopeful for the future. Sansa holds back the desire to pinch herself awake.

Oberyn looks at her for a moment. "You are a beautiful woman, we do not get many women with gorgeous red hair." She blushes a violent crimson colour. "Thank you, Prince Oberyn." She feels like a Wolf of the North as see now wears the Stark sigil again. I am the daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Cayelyn Tully, I am a daughter of the North and of the Wolves. "I haven't worn this sigil since my father..." She trails off. "Your father was a good man, he had honour." "Did you ever meet him?" She looks at him. "No, I heard tales of him. I'll tell you them one day." Sansa smiles at the honour of her father.

"I would like that, Prince Oberyn." She thinks of the wolf her father had gifted as they walk back to the entrance of the Godswood. "When we marry will I get to visit the Riverlands?" He looks at her for what seems like a long time. "The Riverlands are dangerous as the war is just ending so maybe in a year or two." Her heart sinks she wants to brush Ladys fur and tell her how much she has missed her. "You wish to visit Riverrun?" "No. My wolf is out there." He looks over to her incredulously. "You have a wolf?" "Aye. A direwolf, she's called Lady. Aryas wolf bit King Joffery, she snuck our wolves out of the camp and let them loose. Queen Cersei wanted them killed but no one could find them."

"Would you be able to find the wolves?" "Aye, I believe she would." The reach the exit of the Godswood. "I will escort you back to your room." Sansa smiles as he and his gaurds walk to her chambers. She speaks to him of the North, their ways and Winterfell. "Thank you for the necklace, Prince Oberyn." He gives her a smile full of mischief, it reminds Sansa of little Rickon and Arya so much it almist breaks her heart. "I do not need your thanks." He says quietly. "Rest well and be prepared to leave." He says before strolling away, those were the words Sansa had been waiting to hear for so long.

She opens the door of the chamber to see Joff sat on her bed with Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Boros Blout of the Kingsguard standing at the end of the bed. Joffs fair face is twisted with anger. Oh gods help me! she screams internally. "Your Grace, to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?" She says in a voice so cold it could bring The Long Night again. "You are nothing but a treacherous whore!" He growls so deeply for a moment Sansa thinks he is a man grown but she knows he is just a boy playing at king. "I have done no treason I swear." She says tears coming to her eyes.

He stands up and begins to walk towards her. He always loved it when I cried. "You lying cunt. I saw you with that Martell prick." "But Your Grace I am bethrothed to him." She says wiping her eyes on the sleeves of her plum coloured gown. "You were to be mine first and you are going to be." "Aye, Your Grace she needs a real man, a Lannister man." Meryn Trant says with his emotionless face. "Please Your Grace. Don't do this." She says as terror fills her gut and she weeps. "Shut your mouth, you traitor." He snarls at her loudly. She does as she is told. Joff moves closer to her and she spins around, runs to the door, rips it open and runs for her life.

She hears Joff curse at her but she runs through the Red Keep until she is stopped by The Great Lion of Lannister himself with two Lannister guards sanding beside him. She smashes in to one of the guards and almost knocks him off his feet. "Lady Sansa, what in the Seven Hells are you doing running like that?" His voice sounds from nehind the guards. Sansa is mortified by her lack of curtesies. "Pray forgive me, my lord. I..." She looks in to those cold, light, hard eyes and feels like she is something he had trodden in. "His Grace scared me. I apologise, my lord." She drops her head so she is looking at the floor. "How did he scare you?" He almost commands in his cold voice that matches the coldness in his eyes, if it had been anyone else she would have sworn that there was a mocking humour to the statement.

"He came to my chambers, he called me a whore and swore to treat me as such unwillingly." Her voice is sof, quiet and full of shame. If he takes sympathy he may keep Joff away she thinks but then she remembers Elia Martell and The Mountain. Her hope fades away like mist ixxn the morning sun. She keeps her head bowed to him as he sighs loudly. "Guards escort Lady Sansa to her bed chambers. Make sure to look around within for His Grace. He is to be kept from her until she leaves for Dorne." He says "Pick your head up girl." She does as commanded. His face is not soft as her fathers was when he looked at her but it was not as stern as before. He brought it. She thinks as she looks at the Lannister that is responsible for Cersei, Jamie and Tyrion.

She remains outside her chamber door as one guard enters. She is ushered inside and left alone. She fears that Joff will return and she will be helpless against his men. He will not let Oberyn have my maidenhead. She realises feeling terror grow in her stomach. Sansa sits on her windowseat looking out remembering before Kingslanding, before King Robert came to Winterfell. When she, Arya and Jeyne would run play in the Godswood together before the eyes of the heart tree. Arya pushed me in the pool so I dragged her in with me.

Sansa can't help but smile at the memory of those happier times. I was a foolish child back then but not anymore I am Robbs heir I am no child anymore. The pendant around her neck reminds her of all that she had lost and all that she can gain a home and a family. They will know pain one day, they all will. The thought should make her happy but it leaves a bitter taste in her mouth. Father didn't want Rheagars children to die so I can not want any of the Lannisters children to die, despite how awful they are. Vengeance was not what she seeks never was, never will be. All Sansa seeks is home.


	4. Chapter 4

Sansa had packed away all of her belongings old and new, even a tunic and cloak that had been her sisters, they would never fit her but she could not bring herself to discard them so she packed them along with the doll that was all that remained to her of Lord Eddard Stark. He had given it to her just after they had come to Kingslanding. I hurt him when I turned my nose up at it, I wish I could go back. The memory hurt but Sansa had put it at the bottom of the chest to protect it at all cost, she hoped to give it to her daughters so they may know where they came from and who they are.

Sansa sits on the windowseat in the chambers that had housed her since the death of her father. She hopes to never see it again. Servants have taken her things away a while ago. She wears a golden silk dress from Dorne that Oberyn had gifted her, the direwolf pendant around her neck, her hair is down and glowing in the sun. She looks at herself in the mirror, seeing both beauty and grief written across her face. Sansa hears a knock upon the door. "Enter." She says in a voice full of nerves. Tyrion enters on his stunted legs with his sellsword at his side. She curtsies. "Lady Stark, you look beautiful today." She blushes lightly and replies. "Thank you, my lord."

She sees his sellswords eyes are settled on her chest. She blushes. "I will be escorting you to the dock. We will keep my darling nephew away from you." She was relieved of that. The sooner we leave the sooner I will be away from Joff. "Shall we set off then." She says with hope in her voice. His scarred, ugly face examines her for a moment. "You will soon be away from here soon enough. We are preparing to leave." She looks into his mismatched little eyes. "I am sad to leave. I will miss His Grace with all my heart." She says in a voice devoid of all emotion. "Aye and I am Aemon The Dragonknight." He said with a chuckle. His sellsword laughs loudly.

She looks at Tyrions sellsword one wore a tunic the crimson of his house the other wore hard brown leathers. An odd pair. She thinks as they share a glance. "When I first saw you in The Red Keep I swore to protect you. Now you are almost away and I will have done my duty." Tyrion says to her. She thinks on that for a moment, back at Winterfell she had been a silly little girl with a head full of songs and stories, here in The Red Keep she was a woman flowered with bruises and cuts covering her body. That innocent girl died with Father. She thinks with tears filling her eyes, she refuses to let them fall.

She smiles and says. "You have done your duty well, my lord." Tyrion laughs a humourless laugh and says. "I couldn't keep His Grace away from you. I have just found out that he tried to force himself on you." She looks at the floor anywhere but his eyes. "You will be free of him soon. Now come we must leave now to avoid disappointing your betrothed. I believe I will like it in Dorne." Sansa stops dead in her tracks. "You're accompanying me to Dorne?" He smiles a gruesome smile and knods. "I will see Myrcella and make sure they treating you both good." Having him around will not be so bad. She thinks as they walk through the door in to the long hallway.

Sansa never wants to see these halls again, they were her prison and her home for two long terrible years. Full of beatings, terror, agony and tears, how many tears she had shed in this room she would never know. But those days were gone she will remember all she has lost. I must be as strong as Robb was when he faced battle, Bran when climbing the tall towers of Winterfell, Rickon running through the Crypts in complete darkness, Arya when they were at the Trident with Joff swinging his sword at her and even Jon when her mother would give him cold hard questioning looks. I am a Stark I am strong. She, Tyrion and his sellsword walk through the halls sharing the tale of Nymeria and her ten thousand ships.

Sansa could see why Arya had named her wolf Nymeria. She had been a warrior and a princess who had saved her people. I will need to be careful when there, they want only Winterfell. I am a means to an end. The thought saddens her as they walk through The Red Keep and to the stables. Cersei and Tommon are climbing in to a litter both dressed in Lannister colours. Sansa can't see Joff and for a moment she thought herself lucky but then she spots him atop of a stallion. Her heart drops at his horrible little grin. He is planning something. She can see it in his terrible green eyes.

Joffery wears a black doublet embroidered with golden antlers. Tyrion pulls her attention to him and he climbs inside of his litter. Joff rides beside her. "I have a gift for my lady." his beautiful face showing no sign of the evil beneath. A servant holds a box within his trembling hands. "Well open it." He commands of her. She does as bid and is greeted by the sight of a half rotted head with matted hair the same colour as her mothers. In that moment she knows who this was. "Do you know who he was?" He says with a smile. She almost says his name but the word doesn't come, it gets trapped in her throat. "Enough, Your Grace." Tyrions voice as cold as Tywins.

She makes her face one of stone and waits for Joff to order them back to the Red Keep. But the tension only increases when Oberyn appears atop of his fiery stallion with his two gaurds at his side. "Ride with me, my lady." He says with a hand out for her. He looks like a knight from the stories, where the knight saves the maiden from a terrible beast. But those stories are all lies and I am not as blind as I once was. Sansa knows that she cannot refuse so she can only nod at his words and takes his hand. He pulls her up to sit behind him on his mount. "Are you comfortable, my lady?" She wraps her arms around his waist. "Aye." She says with a quiet voice.

Sansa can only think of her brothers head and ask herself where the rest of his body is. Joff told me he would give me Robbs head, I didn't want it to end this way. She thinks of the brothers she has lost Bran, Rickon and Robb, all dead and gone. I wish Arya was here to tease me and tell me I'm stupid like she used to. Her sister had been telling her the truth all those years, she is just a silly little girl. As they begin the journey to Blackwater Bay she realises that she had last been on a horse on the day of the bread riots. We were still betrothed at that point. Joff had left her to the crowds it was Sandor that fought to get her back.

My scarred knight. She thinks of the night Blackwater burnt green and he paid her a visit. He had been so drunk that he had wanted a song from her, she had been so afraid but it mattered little now she was betrothed to Oberyn Martell. It is he who would claim her maidenhead, it is his children she would carry and it is his country she was going to. All Sansa wants is to go home to the grey castle she was raised in, it was the seat of the Starks for thousands of years. I survived Joff I can survive Oberyn and whatever the Dornish can throw at me. The familiar smells of the docks hit her nostrils she takes them in for the last time as they reach the docks.

Oberyn dismounts and helps her do the same. She looks to the boat that is tied to the dock ready for them. "You will be away from here soon enough, Princess." She wants to correct him but it is not her place to. He says quietly as Joffery joins them. Sansa had never been on a boat before, she had never traveled before they had traveled to the Kings Landing. More people arrive on horses, in litters and by foot. She sees the common folk gathering to catch a glimpse of thier king. He is a bad king, an evil man and a bastard in all but name. Joff is not Roberts son he was all Lannister. Sansa could see that now, Robert had been a big man, Joff is nothing like him. He has Cerseis looks. She realises as Tyrion arrives in his litter with his squire Podrick helping him gather himself and his things. Servants begin taking their things in to the boat.

Cersei leaves her crimson and gold litter along with Tommen and his little golden curls. Sansa puts on a sad smile and greets the Queen with Oberyn by her side. Cersei looks at Oberyn and says "My Prince travel with haste and the Gods on your side." He thanks her as the Queen turns to Sansa. "Little Dove, it is such a shame that you are leaving. My sweet Tommon is very fond of you, he and I shall miss you very much." Queen Cersei smiles at her with all the sweetness of sour milk. "I am fond both of you too and will miss you dearly." Sansa says as she gives Tommon a hug. His green eyes sparkle with tears as they fill his eyes. "There are no need for tears Tommon. I am going to see your sister."

She smiles at him as if he were Bran. Sansa strokes his chubby cheek as his warm tears fall on her hand. "I will be sure to tell Myrcella how much you both miss her." She looks up from the boy to the Queen. A look of anger flashes accross her feline face. "My daughter knows how much I miss her." She snaps at Sansa. I will be gone soon. "Forgive me, Your Grace." "Very well Little dove. Come Tommon we must bid your uncle farewell." They walk to Tyrion. "You handle her well. She is as deadly as Valyarian steel and as ruthless as a Faceless man. Sansa, my daughters will love you and so will Dorne." He says in to her ear. She turns to look at him, his eyes are dark and intimidating. "Will we ever go to Winterfell?" She says in a hushed voice. "When this war is over." It will never end. She thinks of her brothers men and how they had died for him. What they did goes against the Gods, the North will not stand for it. Robb was their King he will be avenged one day.

Sansa sees Joffery and all his smugness walk to her. "I will miss your company, my lady." "Thank you, your grace." She curtsies as he turns away from them. "Travel well, Prince Oberyn." He turns and leaves to drink with his mother. Sansa can not help but fear for their safety after all that they had done to her how could they allow her to leave. Tyrion could poison me in my sleep. She allows the thought to sink in for a moment. No they can not risk me, my claim protects me but once I have given Oberyn an heir I am as good as dead. Tywin Lannister walks over to bid them goodbye, he wears his house colours with the golden hand necklace that had once hung around her fathers neck. She looks at Tywin for a moment and sees the golden smugness of Joffery hidden deep underneath his cold exterior.

He walks to speak to Oberyn, that much she knows. Sansa stands still as the men begin to speak. "Prince Oberyn, may your journey be swift and safe." He does not even look at Sansa before he walks over to his imp son. She sees him whisper something to Tyrion. Oberyn leans into Sansas ear and whispers. "They're a cunning lot. You and I both know that they are planning something so be careful what you say to The Imp." Sansa flinches and focuses on the servants carrying the last of Oberyns things and picking up her heavy trunk. She thinks of the contents within it. Sansa glances back at the Royal family and sees Tyrion and his squire waddling over towards them. "Shall we prepare to leave, Prince Oberyn?" Her betrothed nods and they begin their way to the boat. As Sansa walks on to the boat feels a combination of free and worry.

The last time she had gone to a new place it had cost her everything, her family, her direwolf, her dignity and now it will cost her her name. I will be Sansa Martell. The thought makes her sad, her name was one of the last things she had left of her family she didn't want to give it up. After departing from the docks Oberyn shows her where she will be sleeping. Although the air is damp, it looks quite comfortable. "It will not be a long journey to Dorne. Have you ever been on a boat?" "No, I visited White Harbour once with my father but I never climbed aboard a ship." She thinks of how shocked she and Arya had been at the sight of the Weirwood within the Godswood. It was big twisted and monstrous. "I managed to get you a gift from the Lannisters." Sansa watches him walk to a wardrobe nailed to the wall. He opens it and a familiar sight greets her. She had never seen it in action but she knows it all the same.

"ICE!" She shouts. Her eyes fill with tears as she walks towards it. "You can hold it when we get to the Water Gardens. It is too dangerous in here." She smiles and nods. "You have a beautiful smile, it shows how beautiful you are." He leans down and plants a kiss upon her lips once, then he leavesher alone. Sansa sits on the bed touching her lips. He may love me after all.


End file.
